Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe: Crispy, Juicy Mexican Pork

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Slow cooker pork carnitas is the easiest path to the best tacos of your life: a pork shoulder rubbed with cumin and oregano, slow-cooked in orange and lime juice until it falls apart, then crisped in a hot pan until the edges turn golden and crackly. Juicy inside, crispy outside — that contrast is the whole point. The slow cooker does the hard work. Eight hours on low turns a tough shoulder meltingly tender, and the citrus in the cooking liquid keeps the pork bright instead of heavy. The real magic happens at the end: shred the pork, spread it in a screaming-hot skillet with a splash of its own cooking liquid, and let it sit undisturbed until the edges char. Do not skip that step — crisping is what makes carnitas carnitas. Crispy edges, juicy center — carnitas night done right. Recipe Info Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 8 hours (slow cooker, low) Total time: 8 hours 30 minutes Servings: 8 Calories: ~520 kcal per serving Pork, citrus and spice — carnitas starts h...
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Potato Leek Soup Recipe: Silky, Comforting and Easy

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Potato leek soup is comfort in a bowl: floury potatoes and sweet, buttery leeks simmered in vegetable stock until meltingly tender, then blended silky-smooth with a swirl of cream. It is gentle, warming and quietly elegant — the kind of soup that tastes like it took all afternoon, yet it is on the table in under an hour.

The secret is sweating the leeks slowly in butter until they are soft and sweet before any stock goes in — rushed leeks stay sharp and oniony, but patient ones turn the whole soup golden and mellow. A good blender does the rest, turning humble ingredients into something restaurant-smooth.

Bowl of silky potato leek soup swirled with cream, topped with chives and crispy leeks, crusty bread beside it

Silky, golden and deeply comforting — soup season, solved.

Recipe Info

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Calories: ~320 kcal per serving
Flat lay of potato leek soup ingredients: potatoes, leeks, onion, garlic, butter, vegetable stock, cream and chives

Potatoes, leeks and butter — simple ingredients, silky result.

Ingredients

  • 50 g / 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 large leeks (about 450 g), white and light-green parts only, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 small onion (about 100 g), chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 800 g / 1 3/4 lb floury potatoes (such as Russet), peeled and cubed
  • 1 litre / 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 120 ml / 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus extra to swirl
  • 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Fresh chives, snipped, to serve
  • Crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

  1. Sweat the leeks: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion with a pinch of salt, cover, and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft, sweet and translucent — do not let them brown.
  2. Add garlic and potatoes: Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the cubed potatoes, bay leaf and vegetable stock. Stir well, scraping up any buttery bits from the base.
  3. Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook for 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender and falling apart at the edges.
  4. Remove the bay leaf: Fish out the bay leaf and discard it. Let the soup cool for 5 minutes so it is safe to blend — hot soup in a sealed blender can erupt.
  5. Blend until silky: Blend the soup in batches (or with an immersion blender) until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes per batch. Return it to the pot.
  6. Finish with cream: Stir in the cream, warm through over low heat for 2–3 minutes, and season with salt and white pepper to taste. Add a splash of stock if the soup is thicker than you like.
  7. Serve: Ladle into warm bowls, swirl with extra cream, scatter with snipped chives, and serve with crusty bread for dunking.
Close-up of a spoon lifting silky potato leek soup with chive garnish

Smooth as silk — spoonful after spoonful.

Tips & Variations

  • Wash leeks thoroughly. Leeks hide grit between their layers — slice them first, then rinse in a colander under running water before cooking, or your silky soup will be gritty.
  • Use floury potatoes. Russets break down beautifully and give the soup body; waxy potatoes stay firm and make a thinner, less velvety result.
  • Don't brown the leeks. Colour means the sugars have caramelised past sweet into bitter — keep the heat low and the lid on for that gentle, mellow flavour.
  • Blend longer than you think. An extra minute in the blender is the difference between merely smooth and truly silky — taste for any graininess and blend again if needed.
  • Make it dairy-free. Swap the butter for olive oil and the cream for full-fat coconut milk or oat cream — the soup stays rich and is then fully vegan.
  • Add toppings for texture. Crispy leek rings, toasted croutons, crumbled bacon or a drizzle of herb oil all give this smooth soup a welcome crunch.
  • It freezes beautifully. Cool, freeze without the cream for up to 3 months, then stir the cream in when reheating — a perfect make-ahead lunch.

Nutrition Note

Per serving (without bread), this soup provides roughly 320 kcal, 7 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates and 14 g fat. Potatoes supply potassium, vitamin C and steady energy, leeks add prebiotic fibre and vitamin K, and the modest amount of cream keeps the soup satisfying without tipping it into heaviness. It is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian as written, and paired with crusty wholegrain bread it makes a balanced, filling light dinner.

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FAQ

Can I make potato leek soup without a blender?

Yes — mash the potatoes thoroughly with a potato masher in the pot for a rustic, chunky version. It will not be silky, but it is still delicious and hearty.

Why is my soup gritty?

Almost always unwashed leeks or under-blending. Rinse sliced leeks well, and blend a full minute longer than seems necessary for a truly smooth finish.

Can I use milk instead of cream?

You can, but the soup will be thinner and less rich. If using milk, stir it in at the very end over low heat and do not boil it, or it may curdle.

How long does potato leek soup keep?

Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze (without cream) for up to 3 months. Reheat gently and stir the cream in fresh for the best texture.

Is potato leek soup gluten-free?

Yes, as written it is naturally gluten-free — just serve it with gluten-free bread if you want something to dunk.

Simple ingredients, one pot, and a soup that warms you from the inside out — this potato leek soup is about to become your cold-evening staple. If you try it, tell us in the comments what toppings you chose.

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